The Royal Hotel – Smith Street, Loch
The Royal Hotel was opened in March 1917. Construction of the new hotel commenced in November 1916 after the original hotel on the site was destroyed by fire in August 1916, which resulted in the loss of one life. The earlier hotel was a two storey wooden building built in 1888. It in turn replaced a coffee palace erected soon after the site was purchased by the first proprietor of these establishments, Mr. Davidson Wadeson, during the first Loch township land sales on 22 November, 1887.
The Royal Hotel at 2 Smith Street, Loch, is a two storey red brick hotel with a simple horizontal rendered parapet concealing hipped roofs and a recessed two storey verandah supported on brick piers and contained between symmetrical outer bays, each with two single double hung windows on each level. The verandah balustrade is of simple timber balusters and there is limited render banding at the first floor and ceiling level. Cornices project over the verandah bays and at parapet level between the raised side piers of the side bays. The Royal Hotel features some beautiful Art Nouveau stained glass panels along the ground floor public bar and entrance to the hotel quarters. Some of these panes feature Fresian cows as a tribute to the local dairy industry which made Loch a commercial centre in the Federation and interwar period.
Aesthetically, it is a fine example in restricted Federation elements departing very little from Victorian precedents, which by its scale make a notable contribution to the historic character of Loch. Its setting is enhanced by the pair of Cotton Palms (Washingtonia filifera) in the rear yard, which is typical of Edwardian era landscaping. Scientifically, the Cotton Palms are rare mature examples of this species within the Shire of Worrayl.
Loch is a town in the South Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia which was established in 1876. The town was named in honour of the Governor of Victoria, Henry Loch. Loch was established with the coming of the steam railway that connected it with Melbourne. Early in Loch's development, the townspeople recognised the need for a local and accessible school to provide the fluctuating numbers of children with an elementary and socialising education. Petitions were sent to the Victorian Department of Education for this purpose and by 1889 the school had been constructed and a Head Teacher, Francis William Clarke, appointed. In many ways the history of this school and its teacher provide valuable information about living in what was then an isolated town, and the efforts of its residents to establish a sense of place and community. Today Loch has had a major makeover and is no longer the dairy and market hamlet as it used to be. Loch Village, as it is now known as, is the garden village of South Gippsland and is well known for its picturesque beauty and small village bucolic charm. It has a thriving craft community with cosy cafes, charming curio stores, antique shops and galleries. The township is set back from the highway amongst colourful cottage gardens that spill out cheekily onto the street.
The Royal Hotel – Smith Street, Loch
The Royal Hotel was opened in March 1917. Construction of the new hotel commenced in November 1916 after the original hotel on the site was destroyed by fire in August 1916, which resulted in the loss of one life. The earlier hotel was a two storey wooden building built in 1888. It in turn replaced a coffee palace erected soon after the site was purchased by the first proprietor of these establishments, Mr. Davidson Wadeson, during the first Loch township land sales on 22 November, 1887.
The Royal Hotel at 2 Smith Street, Loch, is a two storey red brick hotel with a simple horizontal rendered parapet concealing hipped roofs and a recessed two storey verandah supported on brick piers and contained between symmetrical outer bays, each with two single double hung windows on each level. The verandah balustrade is of simple timber balusters and there is limited render banding at the first floor and ceiling level. Cornices project over the verandah bays and at parapet level between the raised side piers of the side bays. The Royal Hotel features some beautiful Art Nouveau stained glass panels along the ground floor public bar and entrance to the hotel quarters. Some of these panes feature Fresian cows as a tribute to the local dairy industry which made Loch a commercial centre in the Federation and interwar period.
Aesthetically, it is a fine example in restricted Federation elements departing very little from Victorian precedents, which by its scale make a notable contribution to the historic character of Loch. Its setting is enhanced by the pair of Cotton Palms (Washingtonia filifera) in the rear yard, which is typical of Edwardian era landscaping. Scientifically, the Cotton Palms are rare mature examples of this species within the Shire of Worrayl.
Loch is a town in the South Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia which was established in 1876. The town was named in honour of the Governor of Victoria, Henry Loch. Loch was established with the coming of the steam railway that connected it with Melbourne. Early in Loch's development, the townspeople recognised the need for a local and accessible school to provide the fluctuating numbers of children with an elementary and socialising education. Petitions were sent to the Victorian Department of Education for this purpose and by 1889 the school had been constructed and a Head Teacher, Francis William Clarke, appointed. In many ways the history of this school and its teacher provide valuable information about living in what was then an isolated town, and the efforts of its residents to establish a sense of place and community. Today Loch has had a major makeover and is no longer the dairy and market hamlet as it used to be. Loch Village, as it is now known as, is the garden village of South Gippsland and is well known for its picturesque beauty and small village bucolic charm. It has a thriving craft community with cosy cafes, charming curio stores, antique shops and galleries. The township is set back from the highway amongst colourful cottage gardens that spill out cheekily onto the street.